Counties in Kentucky by average weekly wage (QCEW)

Hancock County had the highest average weekly wage (QCEW) of 120 counties in 2018, at $1,328. Robertson County had the lowest, at $534. The median was $704 and the figure for Kentucky was $890. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,328Hancock County
Median704120 counties
Kentucky890History

Map of counties, 2018

Adair County: 627 USDAllen County: 689 USDAnderson County: 717 USDBallard County: 888 USDBarren County: 695 USDBath County: 690 USDBell County: 660 USDBoone County: 907 USDBourbon County: 791 USDBoyd County: 909 USDBoyle County: 779 USDBracken County: 700 USDBreathitt County: 663 USDBreckinridge County: 644 USDBullitt County: 765 USDButler County: 678 USDCaldwell County: 657 USDCalloway County: 691 USDCampbell County: 846 USDCarlisle County: 602 USDCarroll County: 1,084 USDCarter County: 635 USDCasey County: 600 USDChristian County: 816 USDClark County: 817 USDClay County: 693 USDClinton County: 584 USDCrittenden County: 617 USDCumberland County: 688 USDDaviess County: 808 USDEdmonson County: 636 USDElliott County: 620 USDEstill County: 657 USDFayette County: 938 USDFleming County: 679 USDFloyd County: 756 USDFranklin County: 850 USDFulton County: 618 USDGallatin County: 967 USDGarrard County: 690 USDGrant County: 766 USDGraves County: 731 USDGrayson County: 666 USDGreen County: 598 USDGreenup County: 801 USDHancock County: 1,328 USDHardin County: 822 USDHarlan County: 683 USDHarrison County: 803 USDHart County: 700 USDHenderson County: 835 USDHenry County: 731 USDHickman County: 596 USDHopkins County: 805 USDJackson County: 633 USDJefferson County: 1,057 USDJessamine County: 765 USDJohnson County: 646 USDKenton County: 1,074 USDKnott County: 613 USDKnox County: 650 USDLarue County: 639 USDLaurel County: 708 USDLawrence County: 670 USDLee County: 648 USDLeslie County: 731 USDLetcher County: 664 USDLewis County: 611 USDLincoln County: 634 USDLivingston County: 855 USDLogan County: 863 USDLyon County: 611 USDMcCracken County: 844 USDMcCreary County: 683 USDMcLean County: 724 USDMadison County: 778 USDMagoffin County: 591 USDMarion County: 794 USDMarshall County: 992 USDMartin County: 849 USDMason County: 789 USDMeade County: 723 USDMenifee County: 619 USDMercer County: 949 USDMetcalfe County: 678 USDMonroe County: 636 USDMontgomery County: 767 USDMorgan County: 678 USDMuhlenberg County: 797 USDNelson County: 811 USDNicholas County: 569 USDOhio County: 708 USDOldham County: 858 USDOwen County: 790 USDOwsley County: 545 USDPendleton County: 759 USDPerry County: 747 USDPike County: 831 USDPowell County: 595 USDPulaski County: 697 USDRobertson County: 534 USDRockcastle County: 662 USDRowan County: 678 USDRussell County: 615 USDScott County: 1,034 USDShelby County: 765 USDSimpson County: 774 USDSpencer County: 656 USDTaylor County: 651 USDTodd County: 620 USDTrigg County: 622 USDTrimble County: 978 USDUnion County: 854 USDWarren County: 816 USDWashington County: 773 USDWayne County: 591 USDWebster County: 925 USDWhitley County: 737 USDWolfe County: 566 USDWoodford County: 847 USD
  • Under 620
  • 620 to 660
  • 660 to 700
  • 700 to 780
  • 780 to 850
  • 850 and over
USD, 2018. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2018

Hancock County: 1,328 USDHancock County1,328Carroll County: 1,084 USDCarroll County1,084Kenton County: 1,074 USDKenton County1,074Jefferson County: 1,057 USDJefferson County1,057Scott County: 1,034 USDScott County1,034Marshall County: 992 USDMarshall County992Trimble County: 978 USDTrimble County978Gallatin County: 967 USDGallatin County967Mercer County: 949 USDMercer County949Fayette County: 938 USDFayette County938Webster County: 925 USDWebster County925Boyd County: 909 USDBoyd County909Boone County: 907 USDBoone County907Ballard County: 888 USDBallard County888Logan County: 863 USDLogan County863Oldham County: 858 USDOldham County858Livingston County: 855 USDLivingston County855Union County: 854 USDUnion County854Franklin County: 850 USDFranklin County850Martin County: 849 USDMartin County849Woodford County: 847 USDWoodford County847Campbell County: 846 USDCampbell County846McCracken County: 844 USDMcCracken County844Henderson County: 835 USDHenderson County835Pike County: 831 USDPike County831Hardin County: 822 USDHardin County822Clark County: 817 USDClark County817Christian County: 816 USDChristian County816Warren County: 816 USDWarren County816Nelson County: 811 USDNelson County811Daviess County: 808 USDDaviess County808Hopkins County: 805 USDHopkins County805Harrison County: 803 USDHarrison County803Greenup County: 801 USDGreenup County801Muhlenberg County: 797 USDMuhlenberg County797Marion County: 794 USDMarion County794Bourbon County: 791 USDBourbon County791Owen County: 790 USDOwen County790Mason County: 789 USDMason County789Boyle County: 779 USDBoyle County779Hancock County: 1,328 USDHancock County1,328Carroll County: 1,084 USDCarroll County1,084Kenton County: 1,074 USDKenton County1,074Jefferson County: 1,057 USDJefferson County1,057Scott County: 1,034 USDScott County1,034Marshall County: 992 USDMarshall County992Trimble County: 978 USDTrimble County978Gallatin County: 967 USDGallatin County967Mercer County: 949 USDMercer County949Fayette County: 938 USDFayette County938Webster County: 925 USDWebster County925Boyd County: 909 USDBoyd County909Boone County: 907 USDBoone County907Ballard County: 888 USDBallard County888Logan County: 863 USDLogan County863Oldham County: 858 USDOldham County858Livingston County: 855 USDLivingston County855Union County: 854 USDUnion County854Franklin County: 850 USDFranklin County850Martin County: 849 USDMartin County849Woodford County: 847 USDWoodford County847Campbell County: 846 USDCampbell County846McCracken County: 844 USDMcCracken County844Henderson County: 835 USDHenderson County835Pike County: 831 USDPike County831Hardin County: 822 USDHardin County822Clark County: 817 USDClark County817Christian County: 816 USDChristian County816Warren County: 816 USDWarren County816Nelson County: 811 USDNelson County811Daviess County: 808 USDDaviess County808Hopkins County: 805 USDHopkins County805Harrison County: 803 USDHarrison County803Greenup County: 801 USDGreenup County801Muhlenberg County: 797 USDMuhlenberg County797Marion County: 794 USDMarion County794Bourbon County: 791 USDBourbon County791Owen County: 790 USDOwen County790Mason County: 789 USDMason County789Boyle County: 779 USDBoyle County779
USD. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2018
USD
Change on 2017
1Hancock County1,328+5.5%
2Carroll County1,084+3.6%
3Kenton County1,074+4.8%
4Jefferson County1,057+2.5%
5Scott County1,034-0.3%
6Marshall County992+6.4%
7Trimble County978+8.5%
8Gallatin County967+7.6%
9Mercer County949+4.9%
10Fayette County938+1.7%
11Webster County925-1.6%
12Boyd County909+4%
13Boone County907+1.2%
14Ballard County888-5%
15Logan County863+2.9%
16Oldham County858+1.1%
17Livingston County855+3.9%
18Union County854+4%
19Franklin County850+3.9%
20Martin County849+3.9%
21Woodford County847+2.8%
22Campbell County846+0.4%
23McCracken County844+4.1%
24Henderson County835+3.7%
25Pike County831+1.7%
26Hardin County822+1.2%
27Clark County817+3.3%
28Christian County816+3.3%
28Warren County816+2%
30Nelson County811+3.8%
31Daviess County808+2.5%
32Hopkins County805+1.6%
33Harrison County803+2.8%
34Greenup County801+9%
35Muhlenberg County797-5.3%
36Marion County794+3.4%
37Bourbon County791+3.7%
38Owen County790+6.3%
39Mason County789+3.1%
40Boyle County779+2.8%
41Madison County778+2.2%
42Simpson County774+1.7%
43Washington County773+3.5%
44Montgomery County767+2.1%
45Grant County766-0.4%
46Bullitt County765+8.4%
46Jessamine County765+2.8%
46Shelby County765+2.1%
49Pendleton County759+2.3%
50Floyd County756+0.3%
51Perry County747+2.8%
52Whitley County737+2.8%
53Graves County731+4.7%
53Henry County731+1.1%
53Leslie County731+3%
56McLean County724+1.3%
57Meade County723+1.7%
58Anderson County717+3.9%
59Laurel County708+3.8%
59Ohio County708+9.4%
61Bracken County700+1.9%
61Hart County700+5.4%
63Pulaski County697+3.6%
64Barren County695+1.5%
65Clay County693+0.6%
66Calloway County691+3.8%
67Bath County690-1.8%
67Garrard County690+5.7%
69Allen County689+5.2%
70Cumberland County688-1%
71Harlan County683+0.4%
71McCreary County683+3.5%
73Fleming County679+4.5%
74Butler County678+3.7%
74Metcalfe County678+5.1%
74Morgan County678+2.1%
74Rowan County678+3.5%
78Lawrence County670-0.3%
79Grayson County666+1.7%
80Letcher County664+0.9%
81Breathitt County6630%
82Rockcastle County662-0.9%
83Bell County660+2.3%
84Caldwell County657+0.9%
84Estill County657+3.1%
86Spencer County656-5.5%
87Taylor County651-0.2%
88Knox County650+3.8%
89Lee County648-2.7%
90Johnson County646+1.4%
91Breckinridge County644+1.6%
92Larue County639+2.7%
93Edmonson County636+1.4%
93Monroe County636+5%
95Carter County635+1.8%
96Lincoln County634+3.1%
97Jackson County633+3.1%
98Adair County627+4.7%
99Trigg County622-0.8%
100Elliott County620+0.2%
100Todd County620+2.1%
102Menifee County619+1.1%
103Fulton County618-0.3%
104Crittenden County617+3%
105Russell County615+4.4%
106Knott County613+2.2%
107Lewis County611+0.8%
107Lyon County611+1.5%
109Carlisle County602+2.4%
110Casey County600+1.2%
111Green County598+4.5%
112Hickman County596-1.7%
113Powell County595+1.2%
114Magoffin County591+2.1%
114Wayne County591-1.8%
116Clinton County584+2.1%
117Nicholas County569-2.2%
118Wolfe County566+2%
119Owsley County545+1.7%
120Robertson County534+2.7%

Other periods

About this ranking

Total wages paid during the year divided by the average number of covered jobs and by 52, in US dollars, all industries, private and government, from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Counted where the job is located, from the reports employers file each quarter; monthly employment counts the jobs in the pay period that includes the 12th.

In current dollars, not adjusted for inflation. An average per job, so part-time jobs pull it down and high earners pull it up; for the typical job use median_annual_wage. Wages include bonuses, stock options exercised, severance pay and tips, which makes counties with corporate headquarters stand out. Covers about 95 percent of US wage and salary jobs. Excludes the self-employed, most agricultural workers on small farms, the armed forces, elected officials in most states, most railroad employees, some domestic workers and most student workers at schools.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties (Counties in Kentucky by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2018) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv

MLA 9

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in Kentucky by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2018. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/kentucky-counties?period=2018. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Counties in Kentucky by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2018. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/kentucky-counties?period=2018.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in Kentucky by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/kentucky-counties?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_kentucky_by_2018,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in Kentucky by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2018}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/kentucky-counties?period=2018. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
TI  - Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in Kentucky by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2018
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/kentucky-counties?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/kentucky-counties?period=2018.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest average weekly wage (QCEW)?

Hancock County, with $1,328 in 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest average weekly wage (QCEW)?

Robertson County, with $534 in 2018.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Average weekly wage (QCEW): other rankings

Counties in Kentucky: more rankings